Through the years practitioner's in the toy art have provided a great number of toy figures and dolls. In attempting to advance the toy arts associated with such toy figures and dolls, practitioner's have provided a virtually endless variety thereof. One approach to enhancing dolls and toy figures has been found in providing one or more so-called action features.
Thus, toy figures have been provided which perform action features such as walking, talking and skating to name a few. With the advent of low-cost mass-produced digital electronic sound and speech circuitry, practitioner's have been quick to add features such as speech, singing and/or music to dolls and toy figures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,561 issued to Pracas sets forth a TALKING DOLL having a microphone and sound recording device along with a sound playback device and speaker. The doll is provided with contacts or buttons to activate the sound recording device and the sound playback device. A child may speak to the doll and record messages, which may be played back at a later time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,403 issued to Weiser sets forth a FINGER OPERATED MAGICIAN SIMULATING ANIMATED TOY having a hollow base which supports a hollow upright animal figure which in turn includes a pair of swingable arms. A housing communicates with, and is located upon the base in front of the figure. The housing includes a slot through which panels are vertically slidable. A plurality of levers are housed in the base and include exposed buttons. A lever is coupled to each arm of the figure and to each panel to individually swing the arms and raise and lower the panels. As the buttons are pushed, the figures arms are moved simulating independent action of the figure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,449 issued to Handy et al. sets forth an APPENDAGE MOTION RESPONSIVE DOLL having a body defining a torso portion and outwardly extending leg and arm appendages. The body further supports a neck and head. The arm appendages are pivotally secured to the torso to permit motion thereof. The arms are further fabricated in a manner permitting bending or flexing the arm appendages. One or more sensors are supported within one or more of the arms to provide signals when the arms are bent. An internally supported voice unit produces a selected group of sounds responsive to the degree of motion signals provided as the arm is bent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,172 issued to Basile sets forth a DOLL INCLUDING RECORDED MESSAGE MEANS having a head, a body and a motorized appendage for proving a caress. The doll further includes a recorder for recording a personal message. The doll also includes disengagement means for disengaging the motor upon an applied force exceeding a predetermined threshold level.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,744 issued to Kulesza sets forth a MUSICAL TOY having a bellows for creating a flow of air and an air tube connecting the bellows to a musical instrument such as a harmonica. The musical instrument is selectively moved relative to the outlet of the air tube to create different tones as the bellows are operated to provide air flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,571,674 issued to Kingsley sets forth a MECHANICAL TOY having a base supporting a human-like toy figure which includes wind-up drive motor mechanism and a movable arm. The toy figure holds a simulated slide trombone having a movable slide joined to the movable arm. As the wind-up drive unit operates the arm is moved to manipulate the slide of the trombone. Means within the torso of the figure are also driven by the wind-up drive mechanism to produce music.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,770,455 issued to Berger sets forth a MECHANICALLY OPERATED FIGURE TOY having a housing upon which a plurality of figures are supported. A wind-up mechanism within the housing drives a plurality of articulating crack members which in turn operate the arms supported upon the housing associated with each figure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,911 issued to Klose et al. sets forth an INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATING TOY FIGURE having a doll including electronic control circuitry which responds to selection of one of a plurality of switches on the doll. In response, the control circuitry selects associated vocal messages. The control circuitry includes a stored program of instructions and also permits a problem-solution mode of operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,205 issued to Spector sets forth a SOUND TAPE PLAYER HAVING ANIMATED CHARACTER having a player for pre-recorded sound magnetic tape packages in a cartridge or cassette format together with a three-dimensional character related to the recording. The character is provided with eye and mouth openings covered by translucent elements. Within the character, light guides extend upwardly from a light source to the eye and mouth elements. As recorded sound is produced, the light emitted by the light source is modulated in accordance therewith.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have to some extent improved the art and have in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for ever more improved, interesting and amusing toy figures having associated sound and music play.